rescue missions!

...also known as the annual pilgrimages to the local Goodwill during the Halloween season.  Seriously, they save anything that looks remotely vintage to be put out during this one month.  It's obscene how many wonderful things I've found this year.  And no, I didn't bring them all home--I only bought things that were in perfect condition, no rips, no stains, zippers that work.  While I loved being a costumer in high school (and the tutelage of the most excellent Barb) --- I am so over trying to fix old metal zippers, falling-apart-hems, and pit stains.  But I'm definitely not over vintage, even though my current occupational hazards prohibit me from wearing many of the the dresses I love.

Me in my grandmother's wedding suit, taken for my senior pictures.  (my grandmother and grandfather were married in 1944, during the war, the same day my grandfather got his wings; between rationing and timing and all that, there was no wedding gown, just a new suit.  It's a gorgeous sage color, perfectly fitted, lovely buttons).

Frankly, it's just hard for me to see vintage dresses on the rack, my size or not, and walk past them.  Sure, at a certain point, I realize I can't buy everything, and I certainly have a limited budget...but it's not quite so limited that I have to say no to some stunning vintage finds.  And when it's $10 a dress, I have an even harder time saying no.

And seriously, I'm saving them from a horrible future life on a college coed covered in vomit at a Halloween party!  Right?  Or at least that's what I tell myself. 


(Mothers of the world, if you have a child who uses every color crayon equally so none of them get sad, just know she'll grow up to have these wonderful eccentric tendencies, just like me)


So, without further ado, here's a dress that have joined my future costume closet:

(okay, yes, I had every intention of taking pictures of all of them, but this test picture taken after an extensive search of the entire dorm for an acceptably-white backgrounded place with natural light, it was a pain, and even this photo didn't turn out all that well.  I give up.  All I know is that my future castle in Montana is going to have an amazing costume room complete with a full photoshoot-ready white wall).

And since I'm talking about dresses today, I am totally fawning over this gorgeous dress from eShakti --- it's the short version of my prom dress, with sleeves!

I am so tempted.